Latch



De.2o, 1927. 1,653,319

R. R. STUDLER LATCH Filed June 28, 1927 A 5 /0 IES-'E' RET-Le' F.- ELudler" Patented Dec. 20, 1927.

Tisana PATENT QFFICE.

REN R. STUDLER, F WASHINGTON, DISTRICT 0F COLUMBIA.

LATCH.

Application filed June 28, 1927. Serial No. 202,084.

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1883; 22 STAT. L. 625.)

The invention described herein may be used by the Government. or any of its otticers or employees in prosecution of work for the Government, or by any other person in the United States, without payment to me of any royalty thereon. in accordance with the act of March 3, 1883.

The subject of this invention is a latch especially designed for holding the recoilable elements of a machine gun in retracted position.

Machine guns used as fixed synchronized weapons on aircraft are operated by the pilot who has only one hand free for manipulation of the gun. Inasmuch as the functions ot loading, unloading and correcting stoppages involve a task usually requiring the use of both hands some means must be provided for holding the bolt in retracted position.

The purpose of this invention is to provide va novel latch which may be readily installed on existing guns and which is positive in its operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel arrangement and` combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed'. it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a View in side elevation of the improved latch in the locking position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view ot the latch in unlocked position;

Fig. 3 is a detail view in side elevation of the latch;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are sectional views of the respective lines of Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings by numerals ot 4: .referencet There is shown in Fig. 1 the rear portion of the side plate 5 of a machine gun and this plate is formed with the usual longitudinally extending slot 6 in which the operating handle 7 of the bolt is reciprocated during operation of the gun.

Secured to the side plate rearwardly of the slot by means of screws 8 is a frame 9 which for convenience is formed of two plates to facilitate fabrication of an opening 10 through which the latch 11 is inserted. The latch is fulcrumed on the upper screw 8 which is disposed substantially in line with the path of the bolt handle.

The beveled handle-engaging head 12 of the latch is depressed in the path of the handle by means of a spring 13.mounted in the upper portion of the frame.

Pivoted in the rear portion of the latch is a dependingl detent 14 carrying a flat spring 15 confined by the thumb piece 16 of the latch whereby the extremity of the detent is held in engagement with the rear face of the frame 9 and will engage the notch 17 in the frame when lowered the requisite distance. The detent is provided with a trigger 18 to facilitate its disengagement.

When it is desired to hold the bolt of the gun in retracted position the detent is released from engagement with the frame and the head of the latch under the iniiuence ot the spring 13 will be depressed into the path of the handle. The handle is then grasped and moved rearwardly until seized by the latch. In order to release the bolt the thumb piece of the latch is struck a blow and the detent will engage the notch and hold the latch in the .elevated position clear of the handle.

I claim:

1. The combination with a. machine gun having a reciprocable bolt handle. of a frame formed with a notch secured to the gun.. a handle-engaging latch fulcrumed in said frame at a point substantially in line with the handle, a spring for depressing the latch to handle-engaging position. a depending detent pvoted to the rear portion of the latch and engageable in the notch of the frame and a spring carried by the detent and confined by the rear portionot the latch.

2. The combination with a machine gun having a reciprocable bolt handle, of a frame tion, a depending detent pivoted to the rear portion of the latch and engageable with the frame and a spring carried by the detent and confined by the rear portion of the latch.

3. The combination of a machine gun having a reciprocable bolt handle, of a handleengaging latch pivoted at the rear of the gun and a detent carried by the latch and arranged to engage the gun to hold the latch in inoperative position.

REN RQ STUDLER. 

